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MISSION
The mission of the Open Hearth Foundation, Inc. is to create and maintain a community center in Washington, DC that serves Pagans of all paths. The Open Hearth Foundation was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1999.
GOALS
The goals of the Open Hearth Foundation are:
- To develop financial and community support for the DC Pagan Community Center
- To foster the growth and standing of the Pagan community in the DC metro area
- To develop and provide shared resources for the Pagan community in the DC metro area
Contact us or mail to
The Open Hearth Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 73823
Washington, DC 20056
STATE REGISTRATIONS
District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Business Regulation Administration
Corporations Division
941 N. Capitol St. N.E.
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 727-1000
Maryland Charitable Organizations Division
Office of the Secretary of State
State House
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 974-5534
Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation
301 West Preston Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 767-1184
THE QUADRIVIUM
The Quadrivium mandala used by the OHF is a contemporary religious symbol based on the Celtic Cross, the Wiccan circle, and the Asatru Eye of Wodin. Resembling the shape of 10th century Viking earth-works and marks found on Bronze Age altars, the OHF Quadrivium combines the arc, circle, and equilateral cross to evoke a collection of Pagan ideograms - including a warrior's shield, the four transitional phases of the moon, faerie rings, and crossroads.
Quadrivium is Latin for "crossroads," or, literally, "four ways," Quadrivia are linked in Western traditions with Hecate, the matron Goddess of witchcraft, and with the Greek sorceress Medea. As Hecate herself presents the three aspects of Maiden, Mother, and Crone; the Quadrivium also presents travelers with three choices of direction. The crossroads is also a symbol of dramatic change, including the step between life and death, watched over by Hecate as gatekeeper and Hermes as spiritual guide
Equally significant in African traditions, crossroads often represent a ritual door between the mundane and magickal planes. The central spirits of the Loas "Carrefour" and the Orisha "Eshu/Legba," for example, are strongly associated with crossroads, sorcery, and the gateway between world
In numerology, the Quadrivium is related to the number "four" and the associated trait of practicality. More generally, the number four is used to capture the idea of physical totality - such as the four elements, the four winds, and the four corners of the earth. The four-fold nature of the Quadrivium also closely associates it with its sister symbol - the "square," itself a sign of land, structure, and defended sanctuary.